When trolling for salmon and other fish species commonly found at substantial depths, it is common to use downrigger apparatus for locating the lure at the desired depth. The downrigger apparatus normally consists of a rigid elongated boom mounted upon the boat having a free end which projects from the boat stern. A cable reel is mounted at the inner end of the boom accessible from the boat cockpit, and the cable extends over a pulley located at the boom outer end. A heavy weight, commonly referred to as a "cannonball", is affixed to the cable end and may be lowered to the desired fishing depth.
A fish line release is attached to the weight, or adjacent thereto, and releasably holds the fishing line at the desired depth. Upon the lure being firmly struck by a fish, the line is pulled from the release, and the fishing line retrieved by the usual pole and reel.
It is common to attach more than one fish line to a single downrigger, and several line releases may be "stacked" for this purpose. A common method for stacking is to interconnect a pair of line releases, one line release being attached to the downrigger cable, and the other holding the fish line in the normal manner. However, as a retriever may be used with the downrigger cable for retrieving the weight as it approaches the boom, the engagement of a cable attached release with the retriever will cause the cable to be pulled through the release harming the jaws thereof, and there is a need for "stripping" or dislodging the cable attached release from the cable upon engagement with the cable retriever.
Downrigger cable and weight retrievers basically consist of a roller or pulley device located adjacent the boom through which the cable extends. A cord attached to the retriever releasably positioned and locked from the boat cockpit permits the retriever to be located below the boom outer roller during normal operation of the downrigger, but permits the cable and weight to be pulled inboard toward the cockpit as the weight is raised to the boom. The retriever provides control of the position of the weight during retrieving, controls swinging and pendulous weight movement, and permits the downrigger weight to be pulled aboard, as is often done when a fish is hooked, and when attaching the line to a release.
It is an object of the invention to provide a downrigger cable accessory of eonomical construction which effectively retrieves the weight and cable when raised and permits control and positioning of the cable during retrieval.
Another object of the invention is to provide a downrigger cable accessory having the dual function of retrieving the weight as it is raised to the boom and dislodging stacked line releases attached to the cable as the cable is raised to prevent damage to the stacked fish line release apparatus.
A further object of the invention is to provide a downrigger cable accessory having the dual function of retrieving the downrigger cable and weight as it is raised and dislodging stacked fish line releases from the cable during cable retrieval wherein the accessory body is formed of identical interconnected parts molded of noncorrosive synthetic plastic.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a downrigger cable accessory utilizing a roller wherein the lateral regions of the roller are confined and inaccessible to insure proper orientation of the cable to the roller periphery under all conditions and positions of the accessory.
A downrigger cable accessory embodimeht of the invention consists of a pair of identical molded synthetic plastic components assembled by four screws to define a body having upper and lower regions. The upper region of the body includes an internally located roller rotatably mounted upon a shaft and guides for the downrigger cable.
Additionally, the upper region of the body includes a cavity for receiving the inner knotted end of a cord whereby the accessory may be pulled inboard during retrieval of the weight.
The roller is located within aligned recesses within the body halves wherein the lateral sides and regions of the roller are not exposed to the cable, and the cable is limited to engagement with the central peripheral region of the roller. This construction prevents the downrigger cable from being improperly oriented to the roller regardless of the position of the accessory on the cable.
The lower region of the accessory body is of a tubular configuration, through which the downrigger cable extends, defining a lower annular abutment edge which engages stacked fish line releases attached to the cable as the cable is pulled upwardly through the body. Upon the cable attached stacked fish line release engaging the body, the release is pivoted relative to the cable and automatically dislodged therefrom preventing wear of the fish line release pads which engage the cable as would occur if the fish line release remained frictionally grasping the cable as the cable is pulled through the accessory body.
The accessory of the invention is inexpensively manufactured of components produced by high production techniques, and the parts will not corrode or malfunction.